The 2025 version of the Indianapolis Colts is proving they know what toughness is. A team must be tough to survive a grueling 17-game schedule with the hopes of moving on to the postseason. The past couple of seasons had fans and league pundits questioning the moxy of this franchise.
One need look no further than the Colts' eighth game of the 2024 season against the division rival Houston Texans to see why. This was the infamous "tap out" game where Anthony Richardson, Sr tapped his helmet, indicating he needed to sub out after a 2nd down scramble. He said it was because he was tired.
But many former players, let alone fans, stated the franchise quarterback cannot do this, and it was an indication there was a lack of locker-room leadership. Someone in the Colts organization needed to let him know where he went wrong. Richardson is on back-up duty in 2025.
A tale of two Indianapolis Colts seasons
During the 2024 season, Indianapolis had a 5-4 record in one-score games. Unfortunately, three of those four losses were to division rivals Houston and the Jacksonville Jaguars by a grand total of just eight points. In a season that ended with an 8-9 record, the Colts' ability to snatch defeat from the jaws of victory was absolutely crushing.
This season, however, has brought a different vibe to the team and the fanbase. Indianapolis has trailed in three of the six games played this season, and the team came away with two wins. The lone loss was on the road to a very good Los Angeles Rams team and was a game that could've easily gone the Colts' way if not for two mistakes by Adonai Mitchell.
In the game against the Denver Broncos, the Colts gave up an early second-half touchdown and appeared to be on their way to a loss. The team never gave up, however, and won the game on a field goal with no time left on the clock.
It took a similar type of moxy to pull out a win over the Arizona Cardinals in Week 6, which started with some pre-game bad luck. During team warm-ups, Indianapolis lost starting cornerback Charvarius Ward to a concussion after colliding with tight-end Drew Ogletree. AR would land on injured reserve with a fractured orbital bone while working out with resistance bands.
Indianapolis entered the fourth quarter down by 7 and rallied late to win 31-27. Arizona seemed to be driving for a game-winning score with time winding down, but the defense would make a stand and give the ball back to the Colts' offense to run out the clock.
This team feels different. It never feels as though they are out of a game, and it is fun to watch this team play again. The Colts have a tough four-game stretch ahead of them, including games at Pittsburgh, against Atlanta (in Berlin), and at Kansas City. It's time to prove just how tough the Colts are.